11 Fast-Growing Houseplants That Bring (Almost) Instant Greenery To Minnesota Homes
Minnesota winters can feel long and gray, making it the perfect time to bring life indoors with fast-growing houseplants.
These plants grow quickly, add lush greenery, and instantly brighten your living spaces, even when the weather outside is cold and dull. Your home can feel alive and vibrant with just a few smart plant choices.
These houseplants thrive in indoor conditions common to Minnesota homes, including lower humidity and moderate light.
From trailing vines to upright foliage plants, they are low-maintenance, easy to care for, and add visual interest in corners, on shelves, or near windows. Proper watering, light placement, and occasional fertilization help them flourish quickly.
Fast-growing plants make indoor gardening rewarding and almost instant. Minnesota gardeners who select these plants can enjoy greener, healthier, and more inviting interiors throughout the year.
Bring instant life to your home with these thriving houseplants.
1. Pothos (Epipremnum Aureum)
Pothos earns its reputation as one of the most forgiving and fast-growing houseplants you can bring into your Minnesota home, especially during those harsh winter months when indoor air becomes dry and natural light feels scarce.
This trailing beauty adapts remarkably well to low-light conditions, making it an excellent choice for rooms that don’t get much sunshine, like basements, bathrooms, or north-facing spaces.
Even when the air in your home feels parched from running the furnace constantly, pothos continues to push out new heart-shaped leaves with impressive speed, creating cascading vines that can stretch several feet in just a single growing season.
What makes pothos particularly appealing is how little fuss it requires while still delivering big visual impact.
You can let the soil dry out between waterings without worrying too much, and it will bounce back beautifully even if you forget about it for a week or two.
The plant’s ability to tolerate neglect makes it perfect for busy households or anyone new to indoor gardening.
Pothos comes in several stunning varieties, from classic golden pothos with its yellow-splashed leaves to marble queen with creamy white variegation, giving you plenty of options to match your home’s style.
Watching those glossy leaves unfurl week after week brings a sense of accomplishment and joy that brightens even the coldest Minnesota days.
2. Spider Plant (Chlorophytum Comosum)
Few houseplants deliver the rapid multiplication and cascading drama that spider plants bring to your indoor garden, making them absolute favorites for anyone wanting fast results and abundant greenery.
Spider plants are famous for producing adorable little plantlets, affectionately called “babies” or “spiderettes,” that dangle gracefully from arching stems like tiny green ornaments.
These offshoots appear quickly and in generous numbers, especially when the plant receives bright indirect light and consistent care, giving you plenty of opportunities to propagate new plants or simply enjoy the lush, fountain-like display.
The speed at which spider plants fill out a space is truly remarkable.
Within just a few months, a single plant can transform from a modest clump into a spectacular cascading centerpiece that overflows from hanging baskets or perches beautifully on tall plant stands.
The arching foliage, often striped with creamy white or yellow variegation, adds movement and texture to any room.
Spider plants are also incredibly tolerant of Minnesota’s dry indoor winter air and fluctuating temperatures, making them low-maintenance companions that reward you with constant growth.
You can snip off the baby plants and root them in water or soil to expand your collection effortlessly, sharing the joy of greenery with friends and family while keeping your own home filled with vibrant, fast-growing foliage.
3. Heartleaf Philodendron (Philodendron Hederaceum)
Heartleaf philodendron stands out as one of the most adaptable and speedy growers in the houseplant world, making it a go-to choice for Minnesota homes where indoor conditions can vary dramatically throughout the year.
This charming plant features glossy, heart-shaped leaves that emerge in shades ranging from bronze to deep green, and it sends out trailing vines at an impressive pace, often growing several inches each week during the warmer months.
Even in the depths of winter when daylight hours shrink and heating systems dry out the air, heartleaf philodendron continues to thrive with minimal intervention, proving itself to be one of the most resilient indoor companions you can find.
What truly sets this plant apart is how effortlessly it adapts to different lighting situations and care routines.
Whether you place it in a bright bathroom with plenty of humidity or a dimmer living room corner, the heartleaf philodendron adjusts gracefully and keeps producing new growth.
It tolerates occasional missed waterings and doesn’t demand frequent fertilizing, making it perfect for beginners or anyone with a packed schedule.
Training the vines to climb a moss pole or allowing them to cascade freely from a high shelf gives you creative flexibility in styling your space.
Watching those beautiful heart-shaped leaves unfurl regularly brings a sense of connection to nature that makes your Minnesota home feel warmer and more inviting, no matter what the weather looks like outside.
4. Tradescantia (Wandering Dude)
Tradescantia, commonly known as wandering dude, earns its reputation as one of the fastest-growing houseplants you can cultivate indoors, offering almost instant gratification for anyone eager to see rapid results.
This vigorous grower produces trailing stems that can lengthen by inches each week, quickly filling hanging baskets or spilling over the edges of pots with lush, colorful foliage that ranges from deep purple to silvery green with vibrant stripes.
The speed at which tradescantia grows is truly astonishing, and it responds enthusiastically to bright indirect light by pushing out new leaves and stems in abundance, transforming sparse cuttings into full, bushy displays in just a matter of weeks.
One of the most exciting aspects of growing tradescantia is how incredibly easy it is to propagate.
Simply snip a few stem cuttings, place them in water or directly into moist soil, and watch as roots develop within days, giving you endless opportunities to expand your collection or share with friends.
This plant thrives in Minnesota homes because it tolerates a range of indoor conditions and doesn’t mind the dry air that comes with winter heating.
Tradescantia’s bold foliage adds a splash of color and texture that livens up any room, and its fast growth means you’ll constantly see new development, keeping your indoor garden dynamic and exciting.
Regular pinching back encourages even bushier growth, ensuring your wandering dude stays full and fabulous throughout the year.
5. Monstera Deliciosa
Monstera deliciosa brings dramatic, tropical flair to Minnesota homes with its iconic split leaves and impressive growth rate that can quickly transform an empty corner into a lush green focal point.
When given bright indirect light and consistent care, this plant produces large, fenestrated leaves at a remarkable pace, often unfurling a new leaf every few weeks during the growing season.
Each new leaf emerges tightly rolled and gradually opens to reveal those signature splits and holes, creating a sense of anticipation and excitement as you watch the transformation unfold right before your eyes.
The sheer size and presence of monstera deliciosa make it a statement piece that commands attention without requiring excessive effort.
While it does appreciate regular watering and occasional feeding, it’s surprisingly forgiving and adapts well to indoor conditions, even tolerating the lower humidity levels common in Minnesota homes during winter.
As the plant matures, the leaves grow larger and develop more intricate fenestrations, adding to its visual appeal and making it feel like you’re cultivating a piece of the jungle indoors.
Monstera deliciosa also benefits from support structures like moss poles or stakes, which encourage upward growth and help the plant reach its full potential, sometimes stretching several feet tall within a year or two.
Watching this magnificent plant grow and fill your space with bold, architectural greenery brings a sense of accomplishment and transforms your home into a vibrant, welcoming sanctuary that feels alive and full of energy.
6. Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum)
Peace lilies offer a winning combination of lush, fast-growing foliage and elegant white blooms that brighten up low-light spaces in Minnesota homes with ease and grace.
These dependable plants respond quickly to consistent watering, sending up glossy, dark green leaves that create a full, tropical look in a surprisingly short amount of time.
Even in rooms that don’t receive much natural light, peace lilies continue to grow steadily, making them ideal for bedrooms, bathrooms, or offices where other plants might struggle to thrive.
One of the most rewarding aspects of growing peace lilies is how clearly they communicate their needs.
When the plant needs water, the leaves droop noticeably, and within hours of watering, they perk back up, giving you immediate feedback and a sense of connection with your plant.
This responsive nature makes peace lilies particularly satisfying for beginners who are still learning to read their plants’ signals.
Beyond their attractive foliage, peace lilies produce beautiful white spathes that resemble flowers, adding an extra layer of visual interest and elegance to your indoor garden.
These blooms appear regularly when the plant is happy and well-cared for, often lasting for weeks at a time.
Peace lilies also help purify indoor air, making them not just beautiful but functional additions to your home that contribute to a healthier living environment throughout Minnesota’s long winters.
7. ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas Zamiifolia)
ZZ plants have earned a devoted following among houseplant enthusiasts thanks to their ability to produce steady new growth even in challenging conditions like low light and dry winter air, making them perfectly suited for Minnesota homes.
This plant grows from rhizomes beneath the soil, sending up thick, upright stems covered in waxy, oval-shaped leaflets that shine beautifully and add a touch of modern elegance to any space.
While ZZ plants aren’t the fastest growers on this list, they do produce new shoots consistently throughout the year, and once those shoots emerge, they grow relatively quickly, adding fresh greenery that keeps your plant looking vibrant and healthy.
What makes ZZ plants particularly appealing is their incredible tolerance for neglect and less-than-ideal conditions.
They can go weeks without water, handle low humidity without complaint, and thrive in rooms that don’t get much natural light, making them ideal for busy households or anyone who travels frequently.
Despite this easygoing nature, ZZ plants still reward you with regular growth when given a bit of care and attention.
The glossy, architectural foliage of ZZ plants adds a contemporary touch to your decor, and their upright growth habit makes them perfect for filling vertical spaces on desks, shelves, or floor stands.
Watching those sturdy new shoots push up through the soil brings a sense of satisfaction and reminds you that even in the depths of winter, growth and renewal are always possible.
8. Rubber Plant (Ficus Elastica)
Rubber plants are champions of vertical growth, capable of shooting up several feet in a single year when given the right conditions, making them ideal for anyone looking to create instant statement greenery in their Minnesota home.
These bold beauties feature large, glossy leaves that emerge in shades of deep green, burgundy, or even variegated patterns, and each new leaf adds significant visual impact as the plant grows taller and fuller.
When placed in a spot with bright indirect light and watered consistently, rubber plants respond with enthusiastic growth that can quickly transform a bare corner into a stunning focal point filled with lush, tropical vibes.
The thick, sturdy stems of rubber plants give them a tree-like appearance that adds height and drama to your indoor garden, and their upright growth habit makes them perfect for filling vertical space without taking up too much floor area.
As the plant matures, you can prune the top to encourage branching, creating a bushier, fuller shape that maximizes greenery and creates an even more impressive display.
Rubber plants do appreciate a bit more attention than some other fast growers, preferring consistent watering and occasional feeding during the growing season, but the rapid results make the effort worthwhile.
Watching those large, shiny leaves unfurl week after week brings a sense of pride and accomplishment, and the plant’s bold presence ensures your home feels vibrant, alive, and full of natural beauty all year long.
9. Coleus (Grown Indoors)
Coleus plants bring an explosion of color and incredibly fast growth to indoor gardens, offering Minnesota homeowners a vibrant alternative to the typical green foliage found in most houseplants.
These stunning plants feature leaves in dazzling combinations of red, pink, purple, yellow, and green, and they grow at an astonishing rate when given bright indirect light and regular watering.
Within just a few weeks, a small coleus cutting or starter plant can develop into a full, bushy specimen that adds dramatic color and texture to any room, making it perfect for anyone who wants rapid results and eye-catching beauty.
Growing coleus indoors requires a bit more light than some other houseplants on this list, so placing them near a bright window or supplementing with a grow light ensures the most vibrant foliage and fastest growth.
The plant responds enthusiastically to regular pinching, which encourages branching and creates an even fuller, more compact shape that maximizes the colorful display.
Coleus also tolerates indoor conditions surprisingly well, adapting to the dry air common in Minnesota homes during winter as long as you keep the soil consistently moist.
One of the most exciting aspects of growing coleus indoors is the sheer variety of colors and patterns available, allowing you to choose plants that perfectly match your home’s color scheme or add bold contrast for visual interest.
Watching those brilliantly colored leaves emerge and expand brings constant delight, and the fast growth ensures your indoor garden feels dynamic and ever-changing throughout the year.
10. Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema)
Chinese evergreens are reliable, steady growers that excel in low-light conditions, making them perfect companions for Minnesota homes where natural light can be limited, especially during the long winter months.
These beautiful plants feature patterned leaves in various shades of green, silver, pink, and red, and they produce new foliage consistently throughout the year, gradually filling out into lush, full clumps that add color and life to any room.
While Chinese evergreens don’t grow as explosively fast as some trailing plants, their steady, dependable growth ensures you’ll always see progress, and their tolerance for less-than-ideal conditions means they thrive where other plants might struggle.
What makes Chinese evergreens particularly valuable is their ability to handle the dry indoor air and fluctuating temperatures common in Minnesota homes during winter without showing signs of stress.
They adapt well to a range of lighting situations, from bright indirect light to quite dim corners, and they don’t require frequent watering, making them ideal for busy households or anyone who prefers low-maintenance plants.
The variety of leaf patterns and colors available means you can find Chinese evergreens that match your decor perfectly, from subtle silver-green varieties to bold pink and red cultivars.
Watching Chinese evergreens slowly unfurl new leaves brings a quiet sense of satisfaction, and their compact growth habit makes them perfect for desks, shelves, or tabletops where you want greenery without overwhelming the space.
These dependable plants remind us that steady, consistent growth can be just as rewarding as rapid expansion.
11. Arrowhead Plant (Syngonium)
Arrowhead plants offer impressive versatility and fast trailing growth that makes them wonderful choices for Minnesota homes with varying light and humidity levels.
These charming plants start out as compact, upright specimens with arrow-shaped leaves, but as they mature, they develop long trailing vines that can be trained to climb or allowed to cascade gracefully from hanging baskets or tall shelves.
The growth rate of syngonium is truly remarkable, with new leaves appearing frequently and vines extending several inches each week during the growing season, giving you rapid results and a constantly evolving display of greenery.
Arrowhead plants come in a stunning array of colors and patterns, from classic green to pink, white, and variegated combinations, allowing you to choose varieties that perfectly suit your style and add visual interest to your indoor garden.
They adapt remarkably well to different indoor conditions, tolerating both lower light levels and brighter spots, though they do appreciate some humidity, which you can easily provide by grouping plants together or placing them in naturally humid rooms like bathrooms or kitchens.
What makes syngonium particularly appealing is how forgiving it is while still delivering impressive growth and beauty.
Regular pruning keeps the plant bushy and full, and cuttings root easily in water, giving you plenty of opportunities to propagate new plants or refresh your existing one.
Watching those elegant arrow-shaped leaves unfurl and the vines extend brings a sense of joy and accomplishment that brightens your Minnesota home throughout every season.
